Foster FAQs
What is expected of me as a foster home?
Your role as a foster home is to provide the dog with a safe home, socialization through regular interactions with your family and basic training. All dogs are expected to be treated like a family member while in your home.
What does the rescue provide and what is the foster responsible for?
The rescue provides all food, equipment, supplies and covers the cost of all medical care. The fosters are responsible for providing love, care and basic training.
Can someone foster if they rent?
If you rent, be it a house or an apartment, we will require approval from your landlord. If you are in an apartment or condo, we will work to find a dog that will be successful in that environment. You will be responsible for any deposits or fees required to have an animal in your home as well as any damage done while the foster is in your home.
What if there are kids or other animals in the foster home?
It is very important to us that other animals and children are safe and enjoy the experience of fostering. Based on the information you provide we will do our best to ensure that the dog we place in a foster home will fit into the lifestyle of the family and get along with any other pets.
What if a foster has a full-time job?
Many of our fosters work full time jobs and are away from their homes for multiple hours of the day. It is important that we find a foster dog that fits with your lifestyle.
How long do foster pets stay in a foster home?
How long a foster dog stays in a particular foster home depends on several factors including things like age, size, health, temperament and color along with other factors like the time of year. Puppies get adopted pretty quickly whereas senior dogs can take longer, for example.
What if a foster is going on vacation and can’t bring the foster dog?
We know you have a life and if you are planning a vacation while fostering one of our dogs, we just ask that you let us know as soon as possible and so we can get to work finding temporary accommodations for your foster dog. We sometimes have other fosters available or will cover the cost of dog care professionals if needed.
How soon will a foster dog be available to foster?
It depends. We want to make sure we place a dog in your home that is the right fit and sometimes that can take a while. On the other hand, we may get a call tomorrow about a litter of puppies that need fostering right away.
What if a foster ends up wanting to adopt their foster dog?
This happens! We usually encourage our fosters to try and let their very first foster dog be adopted as the experience of seeing their foster be adopted into a great home can be so rewarding. But, as they say, a heart wants what a heart wants.
Where do the dogs come from?
Most of the dogs in our rescue come from Washington State shelters, the majority coming from Eastern Washington. Some of our dogs are owner surrenders that come from homes that can no longer keep the dog or where the dog was in a bad situation.